Saturday, March 14, 2009

Colic


Sorry about the long pause in our story. Things got a bit hectic, and the time to write was just never when I had the ability. I'm back to my poor sleeping—and then only in the recliner. Having tried everything that has usually worked, I decided to arrange another "treatment". That is scheduled for the 25th.

But, my crazy pattern of "shooters" (starting at roughly 23:00 and easing around 05:00) reminded me to tell you of another story—that of colic.

Curtis (my first born) had terrible colic as an infant. He was a miserable baby in obvious pain. I could set our clocks by his first awakening scream at 05:00. It was as though someone stabbed him in the gut with an ice pick. He never napped, and required constant & intense entertaining to get him through the day without continuous crying. Magically, at 18:00, the ice pick went away, and he fell into glorious sleep until 05:00 the next morning. This lasted until he was 10 months old! (hospitalization and lots of tests when he was 6 months old ruled out other maladies) On the wonderful day that it disappeared, I woke up at the normal 05:00, and by 05:05 was convinced that he'd died, since the scream hadn't occurred. But, a check revealed that he was alive and asleep! By 06:30, I had a chair set up in front of his crib watching his chest rise and fall! But, the colic was gone! After that, I was stuck at home with a 10 month old that wanted to sleep all the time—because he could!

I had thought he had the granddaddy of all cases—until Jenni (René's daughter) arrived—remember that René and I are not blood related. Jenni was definitely the world's worst! Her colic lasted around the clock, and even a brief nap was unusual. René or Danny had to be up with her all night—they alternated. I had no idea one could survive on so little sleep. For the first time, I was grateful for the experience I'd had with Curtis, and I was able to offer reassurance, and to relieve René & Danny for spells away from her. It was during one of my "watches" that, while holding her & feeling the pulsating grips of pain coursing through her body that it dawned on me—Jenni has "shooters"!!! That is when I knew that colic is neurological. I've since discovered that many fellow MSers have children who had severe colic.

The picture today is during one of Jenni's rare naps, while grandpa held her. We laugh, today, that we actually have a picture of her asleep! René says that we just caught her blinking! Anyway—the picture is a treasure, and the story is more food for thought.   Huge hugs! 

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I know what you went through. My first born had TERRIBLE problems and no sleeping but it was cerebral compression from a birth that should have been C-section and wasn't. Love the picture..Have you tried laying like that on Mel? LOL might help.

mrsmel said...

Hey, kewl idea, Lo! I'll try anything! And, I won't hold my breath about the cerebral compression, idea—check with other MSers, I think you might be surprised. More hugs.

My Road thru Life said...

Our first born had terrible colic also. Not fun. We ended up taking him off of all baby milks after going through many and just putting him on Vitamin D milk and he did much better. Not really good, but much better. Hugs.

Yochana said...

1. ice pick to the gut made me cringe.

2. Did you notice you're using military time? LOL!!!! It made me get the giggles. : )

Diane said...

Ok, I have no idea about military time but the thought that your poor lil baby cried that much in pain is just gut wrenching. And that it might be a tiny baby "shooters" is awful. That picture is sooooo cute!! Doesn't that just make you fall in love with your hubby all over again to see him with the little ones? Precious!!